Welcome message from the WSSFN President

Dear colleagues, dear guests and friends of WSSFN, Welcome to the 17th Quadrennial Meeting of the World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery in June 2017 in Berlin! The motto of the meeting this time is Emerging Techniques and Indications. This is the opportunity to learn about the most exciting new developments in functional and stereotactic neurosurgery, to see cutting edge technology, to update your knowledge and to meet peers from all around the world.

WSSFN has been growing at an unprecedented pace within the past few years reflecting both multitude and diversity. WSSFN now is a true and vibrating world society operating all over the globe! After the mutual benefit plan had been launched, negotiations were started with several continental and regional societies for stereotactic and functional neurosurgery. Now the seeds have become trees. In addition to the American (ASSFN) and the European (ESSFN) societies, five other societies have become affiliated with WSSFN – the societies from India (ISSFN), from Japan (JSSFN), from Korea (KSSFN), from the Middle East (MSSFN), and from Latin America (SLANFE). What was a club of friends a couple of decades ago has become a world wide net for scientific exchange, innovation, mutual support and education.

Stereotactic and functional neurosurgery has become one of the most important areas of added competence within neurosurgery. It is the field with the biggest progress being made and it has a larger impact than ever before. Actually, the concepts of our superspecialty have penetrated the whole field of neurosurgery changing its core forever.

WSSFN has become a very busy society. In addition to the big quadrennial meetings we have organized Interim meetings concentrating more on education, and we sponsor more focused conferences by the label “Under the auspices of WSSFN.” We have established several committees concerned with special topics such as Psychiatric Surgery, Education, Scientific Research and Industrial Relations. We stay connected with our membership via our website and regular newsletters. And our journal Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery has become an attractive medium to publish your research.

WSSFN will welcome you in Berlin in June 2017 with a most attractive program. The Scientific Program Committee has been working hard to prepare a program that we are sure will be of great interest and stimulate discussion. There will be workshops, breakfast seminars, plenary and parallel sessions, award ceremonies, debates, sponsored lunch symposia, oral and poster presentations of the newest research, a history exhibition, and an Intensive Course for Industry Professionals. And last not least, this is the time to meet old friends and to make new friends in a most pleasant atmosphere.